When I was a little kid, I always went grocery shopping with my mom. Dad never owned a car, so when mom went to the store, I had to go along to help her carry the groceries home.
As a teen-ager in the Fifties, I remember that mom would buy groceries for our family of four with about $6-$7. She wouldn’t buy a lot of the choice meat cuts, but we always managed to eat well. Except for milk and bread, the $6-$7 worth of groceries would last us an entire week.

During the summer months when I was going to high school, I worked as an apprentice cabinetmaker at a mobile-home company. I remember that I was flabbergasted when my good friend and coworker Isaac “Chenco” Herrera told me that it took $20 worth of groceries to feed his family of sever for a week.

“Gosh, Chencho, that’s almost half of your paycheck,” I remember telling him. At that time, I earned $1.15 an hour and Chencho was making $1.35. That came out to $54 a week, less Social Security and income taxes.

Though Chencho had a hard time raising and feeding his five kids, they all seemed well nourished.
I used to ride with Chencho to work, and on the Fridays when we got paid, we’d stop at a local grocery store where we’d cash our checks. After cashing his check, he would buy some groceries for his family. I don’t know if they were available at the time, but I can’t recall him ever buying groceries with food stamps.

After I got married, I let my wife do the grocery shopping for a while. It didn’t take me long to realize that she wasn’t good at it. Thus, I continued my grocery-shopping venture into my married life, which I didn’t mind.

Some of my male friends would make fun of me when I told them that I enjoyed grocery shopping for my family. My friends would tell me I was lying to cover up my henpecked ways. Their laughter was soon subdued when I’d tell them that most of the grocery shoppers were women, and that I found great pleasure in girl watching while I shopped. Of course, I never did tell my wife that. She has always thought — and still does — that I am a wonderful husband for doing it. (I never have shown my wife this article.)

After I got married in 1960, the weekly grocery bill for my wife and me averaged around $9. However, as the years passed and our family grew to three kids and my mother-in-law, whom I had asked to come live with us, my grocery bill grew considerably. It was then that I became more frugal in my grocery shopping.

How? Well, I began to buy more chicken than beef. Bologna became my family’s favorite lunchmeat. Frijoles (beans) thank God, still reign over canned corn and green beans. Instead of buying brand-name canned goods with the Del Monte or Dole label, I’d buy the chain-store brand. I would substitute mellorine or ice milk for real ice cream for my kids. On Thursdays I would scan the newspaper in the food section for grocery coupons.

One day Cecilia, my youngest daughter, got on my case. She said, “Gosh, Dad, why don’t you buy Blue Bell ice cream once in a while? It tastes a whole lot better than the mellorine and ice milk that you buy us. Little Mary’s mom (next door neighbor) always gives me Blue Bell when I go play at her house and her mom doesn’t even work!”

After some thought, and after that tongue-lashing Cecilia gave me, I eased up on my grocery frugality and started buying why my family wanted and indeed deserved. Of course my food bill soared.

I then began to notice the spending habits of those who bought groceries with food stamps. You see, I knew most of my friends’ wives who shopped at the grocery store. Little Mary’s father for example, had a bad drinking habit. Though his wife didn’t work and they had several other kids, Little Mary’s dad spent a lot of his money on beer and liquor. His poor wife — and I saw her many times — shopped solely with food stamps.

I’ve seen it so many times, but I still wonder: Why is it that individuals with food stamps will buy better grocery items that those of us who don’t use food stamps? Why is it that they will buy top-brand-name canned goods, ham, steak, expensive pastry products and will seldom, if ever, buy any off-brand product — while hardworking Americans are penny-pinching with their grocery bills? When have any of you seen someone with food stamps use cost saving coupons? I’m telling you that those who do are as scarce as hens’ teeth.

But there is a bright side for me in this government fiasco. I tip my hat to those of you who penny-pinch with your grocery bill to help supply Little Mary’s mom with food stamps so she can buy Blue Bell ice cream and give some of it once in a while to my daughter, Cecilia!

James, they don't call them "entitlement" programs for nothing. I was shocked the other day to find out that unemployment is now a 99 week program. The one time in my life I went on unemployment for a few weeks the program only lasted for 26 weeks. Now it's almost TWO YEARS. There is a new word I found the other day that helps explain things:

"Ineptocracy

A system of government where the least capable to lead are elected by the least capable of producing, and where the members of society least likely to sustain themselves or succeed, are rewarded with goods and services paid for by the confiscated wealth of a diminishing number of producers."

We are already at the point where 50% of the taxpayers in this country do not pay any Federal Income Taxes. What happens when that number continues to grow?

We just never learned from our forefathers.

Benjamin Franklin wrote:

"I am for doing good to the poor, but I differ in opinion of the means. I think the best way of doing good to the poor, is not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it. In my youth I traveled much, and I observed in different countries, that the more public provisions were made for the poor, the less they provided for themselves, and of course became poorer. And, on the contrary, the less was done for them, the more they did for themselves, and became richer."

We will all sooner be poorer than richer.

...written by jc , September 11, 2012

I used to buy breakfast and sometimes lunch for a 'poor' anglo that worked for me until i realized that in addition to what I was paying him he had food stamps (Texas Card) and used the money he was making form me to buy beer and dipping tobacco. From then on, I told him if he got humgry, he could just pull his can of tobacco out and eat that for breakfast and lunch. From that time forward, he paid for his own meals.

...written by Charlie Alvarado , September 11, 2012

1-Did y'all know that G.W. Bush put more people on food stamps than our president so far? #2-Did y'all know that there were $millionaires caught using food stamps? #3-Did y'all know that merchants help people on food stamps buy illegal merchandize?

And you dudes are "GIRL DOGGING" about someone who buys ice cream, of their choice, with stamps? "JUST" because it costs a little more? What a bunch of "GATOR." I'll give y'all a hint, buy HEB's Creamy Creations. (Butter Pecan) It’s great. Eugenio once wrote;

"Don’t Ruffle Our Christian Feathers."

Do you really believe he follows the Christian faith? He reminds me of "HITLER." Hitler was a Christian (Catholic) and also sang in the Choir. Just like the author of the above article claims he did. I guess he wants to kill all the needy. ¿Que no? "Why Conservatives Are Wrong About Food Stamps:" http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/357148/20120627/childhood-poverty-food-stamps-welfare-farm-bills.htm

...written by Charlie Alvarado , September 12, 2012

I posted a response yesterday. It wasn't added to the discussion. I'll wait another day before I repost it. By the way, The above author has some musicians who back his views; and most of them ,and their families, are on Food stamps (Texas Card) and assistance. We had a benefit for one of them, and later I heard he bought a car with what "WE" collected for him. So yes, there are some freeloaders out there for almost everything you can think of. But criticizing programs that help people who are "IN NEED" is not Catholic, Christian, nor even human. One more thing. The author says he posted this article in 1993. That's the year my boy Bill came into office. Was the lady buying Blue Bell before then?

Another Benjamin Franklin quote: Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain - and most fools do. Benjamin Franklin

...written by Charlie Alvarado , September 13, 2012

As promised yesterday: #1-Did y'all know that G.W. Bush put more people on food stamps than our president so far? #2-Did y'all know that there were $millionaires caught using food stamps? #3-Did y'all know that merchants help people on food stamps buy illegal merchandize?

And you dudes are "GIRL DOGGING" about someone who buys ice cream, of their choice, with stamps? "JUST" because it costs a little more? What a bunch of "GATOR." I'll give y'all a hint, buy HEB's Creamy Creations. (Butter Pecan) It’s great. Eugenio once wrote;

"Don’t Ruffle Our Christian Feathers."

Do you really believe he follows the Christian faith? He reminds me of "HITLER." Hitler was a Christian (Catholic) and also sang in the Choir. Just like the author of the above article claims he did. I guess he wants to kill all the needy. ¿Que no? http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/357148/20120627/childhood-poverty-food-stamps-welfare-farm-bills.htm

...written by Charlie Alvarado , September 13, 2012

Post #2= Freedom of speech; I posted a response yesterday. It wasn't added to the discussion. I'll wait another day before I repost it. By the way, The above author has some musicians who back his views; and most of them ,and their families, are on Food stamps (Texas Card) and assistance. We had a benefit for one of them, and later I heard he bought a car with what "WE" collected for him. So yes, there are some freeloaders out there for almost everything you can think of. But criticizing programs that help people who are "IN NEED" is not Catholic, Christian, nor even human. One more thing. The author says he posted this article in 1993. That's the year my boy Bill came into office. Was the lady buying Blue Bell before then? Another Benjamin Franklin quote: Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain - and most fools do. Benjamin Franklin

...written by Pope1944 , September 20, 2012

Dear Charlie, I know you like to be right but your "fact" in #1 is absolutely FALSE. IN 8 years Bush added 11 million people to food stamps. In 3 years Obama has added 18.1 million. http://www.trivisonno.com/food-stamps-charts

...written by Charlie Alvarado , September 22, 2012

What I like is "FACTS,” and people not to be “FAKES.” "Gingrich goes too far to say Obama has put more on the rolls than other presidents. We asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition service for month-by-month figures going back to January 2001. And they show that under President George W. Bush the number of recipients rose by nearly 14.7 million. Nothing before comes close to that."

"And under Obama, the increase so far has been 14.2 million. To be exact, the program has so far grown by 444,574 fewer recipients during Obama’s time in office than during Bush’s."

"It’s possible that when the figures for January 2012 are available they will show that the gain under Obama has matched or exceeded the gain under Bush. But not if the short-term trend continues. The number getting food stamps declined by 43,528 in October. And the economy has improved since then."

Besides, many new jobs (and old for that matter) are at, or under, the poverty level. "SO"? the workers need a helping hand, even with a job Luke 11:11 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for[a] a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?

...written by Charlie Alvarado , September 22, 2012

By the way, Matt's blog, Mitt's cousin, which you included in your post, has some who don't agree with your assesment. here's just one. Doug Scott says: February 24, 2012 at 3:49 pm I’d be careful about this “Obama” thing. Under George W. Bush, individuals on Food Stamps jumped 100%. DOUBLED!!!! So far, there’s continued to be big increase, but under Obama it’s been a 39% increase in a very nasty recession (when you’d expect an increase).

Luke 11:11-13 New International Version (NIV)

11 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for[a] a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

The facts still show that in 3 1/2 years under the current president more people have joined the program than in 8 years of the previous administration. The abuses in the program are legion. Just stand at a check out counter for an hour and see for yourself.

...written by Charlie Alvarado , September 24, 2012

Naughty naughty: You keep ignoring the whole picture. And I'm never surprised. You're goal is to twist the facts. "To some extent, the food stamps expansion the country has seen under Obama is how food stamps are supposed to work: It’s a countercyclical program, meaning that as the economy declines, enrollment grows. Typically, then, the program grows in recessions and declines in economic boom times. But with the 2002 farm bill, President Bush dramatically expanded eligibility, restoring benefits to nearly a million individuals at the beginning of 2003, and paving the way for the program to expand as it did during the rest of his presidency. As a result, Bush managed to oversee unprecedented growth in the program even as the economy grew. Obama then followed up on this with an eligibility expansion of his own in the 2009 stimulus package."

"It’s not unreasonable to criticize Obama for the expansion of the food stamps program under his watch. ""But Obama's Republican critics shouldn’t forget that it was a GOP president who helped make that expansion possible."" http://reason.com/blog/2012/01...presidents

...written by Charlie Alvarado , September 24, 2012

"The facts still show that in 3 1/2 years under the current president more people have joined the program than in 8 years of the previous administration."

Read the whole "FACTS."

But Gingrich goes too far to say Obama has put more on the rolls than other presidents. We asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition service for month-by-month figures going back to January 2001. And they show that under President George W. Bush the number of recipients rose by nearly 14.7 million. Nothing before comes close to that.